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Mixed Greens 009: Plastic, plastic everywhere
Climate skeptics getting desperate?
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May 9, 2008
How industry shanghaied science
A review of Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health by David Michaels.
Recent EWG research highlighted how conflicts of interest among members of EPA review panels have weakened governmental safety standards on toxic chemicals in the environment and in everyday consumer products. Outrage over long-standing reliance on “science for hire” by the chemical industry has prompted Congress to investigate EPA’s procedures for reviewing toxic chemicals, including PBDE flame retardants and bisphenol A.
These examples are just a small window into how great the tampering and influence of the chemical industry has been over EPA regulation of toxic chemicals. A new book by David Michaels, an epidemiologist and the director of the Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, documents a seemingly endless list of examples of mercenary scientists misleading the general public and the regulatory community about the true dangers of chemical exposures, starting from lead, asbestos, and tobacco, and continuing to chromium, berillium, perchlorate, benzene, plastics chemicals, and various other environmental and occupational health hazards.
The book is a must-read for anyone who cares about the best application of science in the interests of promoting public health. For a great review, readers can go to the article by Newsweek's Sharon Begley, “Whitewashing Toxic Chemicals.”
One stunning quote from the book describes the tricks of the trade that industry lobby and product defense firms use to derail the regulatory process:
They profit by helping corporations minimize public health and environmental protection and fight claims of injury and illness. In field after field, year after year, this same handful of individuals and companies comes up again and again… They have on their payrolls (or can bring in on a moment’s notice) toxicologists, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, risk assessors, and any other professionally trained, media-savvy experts deemed necessary. They and the larger, wealthier industries for which they work go through the motions we expect of the scientific enterprise, salting the literature with their questionable reports and studies. Nevertheless, it is all a charade. The work has one overriding motivation: advocacy for the sponsor’s position in civil court, the court of public opinion, and the regulatory arena [where these studies benefit their sponsors] not because they are good work that the regulatory agencies have to take seriously but because they clog the machinery and slow down the process. Public health interests are beside the point. Follow the science wherever it leads? Not quite. This is science for hire, period, and it is extremely lucrative.
Only by discovering the facts behind the scene and by bringing to light the true motivation of profit-driven public relations campaigns can we promote and defend the health of the environment and the safety of consumer products. For a veteran in the subject who may have participated in some of the struggles described in Defending Science, or for a new member of the environmental and occupational health community, this book is a great introduction to the state of the field – and the battles ahead that still need to be fought.
May 8, 2008
Oil companies settle MTBE lawsuit
In the 1990's, when the Clean Air Act mandated that gasoline burn more cleanly, the oil industry's answer was methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). It quickly became clear that the chemical contaminated groundwater -- even just a little bit makes water undrinkable. Of course, the fact that you can taste it may be a blessing in disguise if it keeps you from drinking it. MTBE has been shown to cause cancer in lab studies.
Anyway, flash forward to the present day: many of the world's major oil companies have settled a lawsuit brought by 153 public water utilities. In settling, companies like BP, Citgo and Sunoco agreed to pay $423 million in damages. They also agreed to cough up 70 percent of future cleanup costs those water utilities incur because of MTBE contamination.
MTBE was phased out entirely (and voluntarily) in 2005, but not before 23 states had the chance to ban the failed chemical. It has been replaced as a fuel additive by ethanol. Six major companies, including Exxon-Mobil, refused the settlement.
Deals like this always make me uncomfortable. After all, if the oil companies were willing to shell out $423 million without being told to by a judge, how much more did they expect to lose if they went to court?
In March of 2007, EWG created a state-by-state breakdown of MTBE contamination reports.
Photo by Olivier Jules.
May 7, 2008
In an excellent example of how to make a point respectfully, Beth has penned a letter to a retreat center she spent last weekend at. It reads "Hey, love you guys -- no, seriously, totally love you -- so let's work together to ditch the nasty chemicals, and then you'll be even more awesome!" (I may have paraphrased a bit there.) If you've ever wanted to give your favorite coffee shop some eco-advice, let this letter be your template.
Allie's running a series on greening your wedding plans, which I am filing neatly away in the back of my head for future use (not any time soon, Mom, don't worry).
Congrats are in order for Katy, who reports that legislation limiting lead, phthalates, and mercury have passed the Vermont legislature! Katy, your hard work has been rewarded -- and the entire state of Vermont will benefit.
When was the last time you thought about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Mark takes an in-depth look at the problem with plastic trash, and what we could do to solve it.
May 6, 2008
Mixed Greens 009: Plastic, plastic everywhere
Plastics are in the news, and you want answers! This week we field some of your questions relating to bisphenol A and other plasticky problems.
Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!
Miss something? Check out the transcript after the jump.
Continue reading "Mixed Greens 009: Plastic, plastic everywhere" »
May 5, 2008
What is it?
Phthalates are a common industrial chemical used in PVC plastics, solvents, and synthetic fragrances. They've been around since the 1930's, and now they're pretty ubiquitous; when they tested 289 people in 2000, the CDC found phthalates in all of the subjects' blood at surprisingly high levels. They're often referred to as a plasticizer, which we think sounds rather like a kind of exercise to be done on the living-room floor in front of videos hosted by Jane Fonda. But we digress.
What are the possible health effects?
Phthalates are endocrine disruptors linked to problems of the reproductive system, including decreased sperm motility and concentration in men and genital abnormalities in baby boys. (Oh, and did you know that average sperm counts have decreased significantly since the 1940's?) More recently they've also been linked to asthma and allergies.How can I minimize my exposure?
Avoid these, and you'll also be avoiding phthalates:- Nail polish: Dibutyl phthalate is often used to make nail polish chip-resistant. Look for it on the ingredients list, where it may be shortened to DBP.
- Plastics in the kitchen: Take a critical eye to your cupboards. Phthalates may be more likely to leach out of plastic when it's heated, so avoid cooking or microwaving in plastic.
- Vinyl toys: Phthalates are what make vinyl (PVC) toys soft, so don't give them to children. Opt instead for wooden and other phthalate-free toys, especially during that age when they put everything in their mouths!
- Paint: Paints and other hobby products may contain phthalates as solvents, so be sure to use them in a well-ventilated space.
- Fragrance: Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is often used as part of the "fragrance" in some products. Since DEP won't be listed separately, you're better off choosing personal care products, detergents, and cleansers that don't have the word "fragrance" on the ingredients list.
- Vinyl: Vinyl shows up in a lot of different products; lawn furniture, garden hoses, building materials, and items of clothing (like some raincoats) are often sources. Aside from carefully choosing materials when you're making purchases, there is one easy change you can make: switch to a non-vinyl shower curtain. That "new shower curtain" smell (you know the one) is a result of chemical off-gassing, and it means your shower curtain is a source of phthalates in your home.
- Air Fresheners: Just like fragrances in personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates.
Where can I learn more?
- Here's a link to Phthalates in the Chemical Index.
- Phthalates were just one of the hormone-disrupting chemicals we found contaminating the San Francisco Bay.
- NRDC has the low-down on phthalates in air fresheners.
- EWG's Jane Houlihan discusses phthalates in children's personal care products.
- Olga explains a recent study linking phthalates to asthma and allergies.
Orginal photo by Felix63.
Climate skeptics getting desperate?
Things must be looking awfully bad for The Heartland Institute, an American (oil-industry funded) "think-tank" that doesn't buy into this whole global warming business. In February, the Chicago-based group inundated Canadian schools with leaflets and DVDs intended to create the illusion of scientific debate.
The group claims to want to present a more balanced view of global warming. The materials claim that there's no consensus that climate change has been caused by human activities, and that we can actually attribute it to -- wait for it -- the sun. Conveniently, the group's propaganda makes no reference at all to the IPCC's 2007 report on climate change -- you know, that study that won the Nobel Peace Prize. Is it just me, or does that sound like the opposite of balanced?
My guess is that they're getting desperate. Unfortunately, not everyone can smell the desperation on them -- their recent propaganda campaign also went out to Canadian politicians, who've adopted policies thought to be soft on the oil and gas industry.
Photo by Sonya.
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